Frankie Montas out early as Oakland A’s lose to Seattle Mariners

The Oakland A’s completed a person of the most dreadful to start with halves in their record Sunday, but the aim soon after their 2-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners was mainly on the well being of setting up pitcher Frankie Montas.

Montas, just one of the A’s greatest possible trade chips, remaining immediately after a single inning at T-Cellular Park with tightness in his shoulder and claimed he will have an MRI right after the group returns to Oakland.

Otherwise, the sport adopted a common script.

The A’s, with the worst offense in the majors, had 4 hits, such as an Elvis Andrus house operate in the seventh inning, and went -for-4 with runners in scoring posture versus Mariners ace Robbie Ray to end a a few-metropolis road journey with a 3-7 file.

The A’s are now 26-55, the 2nd-worst record at the midway issue in Oakland background, bettering only the 1979 group that was 23-58 at the halfway mark.

If Oakland duplicates its first-50 % record in the next 50 %, it’ll shed 110 video games, a whole not experienced by an A’s crew considering that the 1916 Philadelphia A’s went 36-117. Oakland hosts Toronto for 3 game titles starting Monday.

Continue to, of additional fast problem was the overall health of Montas, who threw just 13 pitches just before he remaining the recreation with tightness in the back again of his shoulder. One particular pitch was a 92 mph sinker that Mariners leadoff hitter Julio Rodriguez took in excess of the remaining-industry wall for a 1- Seattle guide.

Montas claimed he didn’t recuperate very well sufficient soon after his 6-inning outing in New York previous Tuesday. With his pitch velocity significantly down Sunday, he and supervisor Mark Kotsay believed the most effective issue was to exit the game and get examined.

“I do not have any concern,” Montas claimed. “I really don’t consider it’s just about anything poor, just probably some irritation. Didn’t have plenty of time to get well (right after June 28).”

Montas’ four-seam fastball which is averaged 96.2 mph this year dipped to an common of 93.8 mph Sunday. He claimed there is no issue with his arm.

Requested about his own stage of issue for Montas, who, just before Sunday, ranked fifth in the American League with 95.2 innings pitched, Kotsay stated the A’s will get the shoulder looked at “when we get back to Oakland and then establish the ideal route for him.”

Montas’ fastball acquired up to 99 mph on June 23 when he no-hit the Mariners by 7.2 innings at the Coliseum. Montas pitched eight scoreless, but the A’s permitted two operates in the ninth and misplaced to Seattle 2-1.

That’s been the tale of the year for Montas, who is now 3-9 with a 3.26 Era and 100 strikeouts. Prior to Sunday, he experienced gained one particular operate of assistance or much less in each of his last a few begins and 10 of his last 11.

Yet, since of his arm, Montas’ title has been bandied about in trade rumors, as groups seemed to fortify starting off staffs just before the Aug. 2 deadline. Montas is under team control for one much more 12 months, but a lingering damage could great trade talks.

Reliever Austin Pruitt held the A’s in the match. Following he took in excess of for Montas, Pruitt retired 12 straight batters from the second to the fifth inning, collecting 6 strikeouts.

His only blemish was letting an RBI double to Rodriguez in the sixth inning as the Mariners took a 2- direct.

“I knew likely into it that I was heading to have to address some innings,” Pruitt explained. “From pitch one, I felt quite very good. It sort of brought me again to when I was a starter.”

Oakland managed just 3 hits in the very first six innings in opposition to Ray, who completed with 12 strikeouts. Andrus’ residence run, his fifth of the period and his fourth this 12 months at T-Cellular Park, received Ray out of the sport right after 107 pitches.